Safa and Marwa Tourism

Safa and Marwa are two small hills located in the Great Mosque of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. They hold significant religious importance in Islam due to their association with the Hajj, which is the major Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, and the Umrah, a lesser pilgrimage. According to Islamic tradition, these hills mark the path taken by Hagar, the wife of the Prophet Abraham, when she searched desperately for water for her infant son Ismael. This ritual walk between the hills, known as the Sa'i, is a compulsory element of both the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages. The area between the two hills is now enclosed by the Masjid al-Haram, and the path is a long, marble-paved gallery that can accommodate thousands of pilgrims at a time. Over centuries, the walkway has been expanded and modernized to cater to the vast numbers of pilgrims visiting each year. The significance of this ritual is to commemorate Hagar's struggle and God’s mercy in providing the Zamzam Well to quench Ismael's thirst.